What are good 22LR Revolvers

[30-06 lover]

I am very new to handguns, and am looking to buy a 22 revolver to carry while hunting (A lot of rattlesnakes around). I might see a grey squirrel or two that would look good on grill too. I am looking for an accurate 22LR revolver to meet these needs. A gun I could buy oversized grips for would be a plus. Like I said, I am very new to handguns and I am not looking for "which should I get" as much as what brands and models are always ranked high by all like the 10/22, 700, 70, etc are to rifles. Thanks!
-Mike

 

[Logan5]

Are you after a DA or a SA revolver? In SA, the Ruger Single-Six is pretty universally loved, but I'm not sure if that's so true when we come into the venomous snake defense territory. They are pretty hot on squirrels, however. In Smiths, I guess you need to try your hand size against J and K frames, as well as some L frame .22 LR's.

 

[XavierBreath]

If you can find one, a used K-22 or Model 17 Smith & Wesson with enough finish wear to take it out of collector status. They are not cheap, so don't think "used gun, save money....". They are, however, a fantastic gun that you will love the rest of your life, as will your grandchildren when it is handed down to them. Start shopping with $500 in your pocket and go from there. These are a K frame. and have probably more grip options than any other revolver. Do not worry about the price.......you will make your money back when or if you sell it.

Another great option, designed for the use you describe, is the Smith & Wesson Model 34-1 .22/32 Kit Gun, but it is a J frame.

S&W does offer the 10 shot Model 617 new nowadays, but it is nowhere near the revolver of the older ones. MSRP is $814

 

[tackleberi]

+1 on XavierBreath's well-worded suggestions.

If DA is what you are looking for, the Model 17 S&W is pretty tough to beat. If you compare/contrast it against a new-production 617, the premium used-gun price you pay for the older 17 quickly becomes reasonable. The 617 is an excellent gun too ( I had one before my 17; I just sold my other 17), but the 17 just has a certain feel to it. Not to mention, 17's don't have the lock; I'm not trying to highjack this gentlemans thread with a lock debate, but in comparing the two this was an important consideration for me.

Good luck in your search.

 

[Master Blaster]

If you look around you may be able to find a pre 17 or a used 17 for well under $500, last year I aquired a full underlug 17 in excellent condition with a Burris scope for $400, a couple months before that I spotted a 1955 vintage 6" pre 17 in excellent condition for $325, in the same shop.

Another gun to consider is the taurus 94, or its satinless cousin the 941? I have an older blued one that was bought new in 1998, and has many thousands of rounds through it with no problems and excellent accuracy, it even has a good DA trigger. Its smaller than the Kframe smiths, the size of a 34, Its my daughter's favorite revolver.

 

[22-rimfire]

New Guns: The best choices are the Smith & Wesson Model 617 in either a 4 or 6" barrel. Smith also makes the Model 317 which is their light (and small) aluminum framed J-frame in 22LR and 22WMR. This is primarily a short barreled pocket type gun. Great little gun, but the larger 617 is a better all around gun to shoot. There are also choices made by Taurus as well available. Ruger makes their Single Six and Bearcat single action 22 revolvers. I'd choose the Single Six if you want a single action over some of the "other brand" revolvers available.

The next tier of firearms are made by folks like Heritage Arms, Charter Arms, and Rossi. They tend to be less expensive and a lesser product than the above mentioned firearms.

Used:

I highly recommend one of the following 22 double action revolvers: Smith & Wesson Model 17 or 18, or the smaller Model 34's, Colt Trooper Mark III, Colt Diamondback, Colt Officers Model Match, or the Colt Trooper. The least expenisive of the Colts is the Trooper Mark III. Spend the extra money and buy one of the above revolvers. You will not regret it.

Single Actions Used: Colt New Frontier or Peacemaker or Ruger Single Six. The Colts are more expensive, but worth it if you can find one.

There have been many different models made by other companies. They include Taurus, Ruger, Charter Arms, Rossi, High Standard, Harrington & Richardson. Generally a lesser product than Colts or Smiths, but serviceable for the most part.

Best advice for TODAY (quality and price): Buy either a Colt Trooper Mark III in 4 or 6" barrel length or Colt Officers Model Match, OR Smith & Wesson Model 17 (6" barrel normally, but some 4" available) or Model 18 (4" barrel). On new production, go with Smith Model 617 in either 4 or 6" barrel. (This is the stainless steel version of the older Model 17 or Model 18 (K-22) which you hear so much about as being the best 22 revolver for the money. Spend the extra $$ on a well made 22 revolver and you are likely to never loose money if you sell it or you'll have a great revolver for the rest of your life and probably your children's and grand children's lives.

XavierBreath: Great post and good advice. The wear issue is significant as many of these revolvers are being purchased these days as collector pieces. That especially applies to the Colt revolvers which is why the price has been driven up in recent years. The Colt Diamondback is also a fine choice if you can find one that has a little finish wear to take it out of the collector status ranks.

 

[MrBorland]

Lots of good info here. I'm lusting for a nice Model 17 myself, and will likely pick up a Single Six soon.

You didn't say how much you wanted to spend, but you did say you wanted an accurate revolver, and I'm guessing you mean out-of-the-box accurate. Maybe way over your budget, but I just thought I'd throw it out there that Freedom Arms makes what is considered by many the finest and most accurate single action revolvers made today. Their Model 97 .22LR comes with barrel lengths of 4.25" to 10". MSRP is a mere $1840.

http://www.freedomarms.com

 

[GunTech]

+1 XavierBreath

Or if you like them smaller

 

[MatthewVanitas]

The lowest I've seen a used S&W 34 in a shop is $300 or so.

However, I've seen a bunch of used Ruger Single Six revolvers for $200 or less, and those are outstanding revos. You can also buy various oversized aftermarket grips for them.

If you like the single-action (cowbody-style) guns like the Single Six, but want smaller, Ruger also makes the Bearcat ($350 new or used). The only downside is that the Bearcat has fixed sights, and also small grips.


Sidenote, since these bear/snake/cougar threads drive me nuts:

Reported snakebites per year in U.S.: 7,000
Dog bites requiring stitches " : 800,000
Dog bites requiring emergency room visit " : 368,000

Snakebite fatalities per year in U.S.: 15
Dog attack fatalities per year in U.S.: 26

CDC notes that: [Of the 7000 bites] "Approximately 3000 are classed as "illegitimate," meaning these bites occurred while the victim was handling or molesting the snake."


I'd be far more worried (relatively speaking) about other human beings than I would be about snakes, or bears, or cougars.

 

[welldoya]

I agree with what has been said here. Xavier and 22 rimfire both gave excellent advice. I have most of the revolvers mentioned and you just can't go wrong with an S&W 17........if you have the money. The Single Six is a great gun at a reasonable price but is slow to load. The Colt MKlll is very accurate, great action but is heavy so that might be a consideration if you are going to holster it.
For a cheap revolver, I like the old High Standards - Sentinel or Double Nine.
They aren't in near the class of the others but can be found for less than half the price.
Why not an semi-auto like a Ruger MKll or lll ? They are reasonable and great pistols.

 

[MrBorland]

One additional note on the Single Sixes: The .22LRs come with an extra cylinder to let you shoot .22magnums simply by switching the cylinder. The extra versatility is a nice feature if you see yourself ever needing a .22mag revolver. Many used Single Six's I see for sale, however, are missing the extra cylinder. The price is (usually) reduced because of this, so if you're not interested in the extra cylinder, it's your gain. Just know that Single Six's ought to have 2 cylinders.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

My girlfriend has a blued Ruger SS6 and another long barreled one in stainless for when she feels like dressing up at the range. They are accurate little guns, and as for self defense I'm not going to argue for the .22, but I will say " I don;t want to be hit with one".

 

[22-rimfire]

Not a thing wrong with the single actions made by Ruger. Quality is very good. I just prefer the convenience of loading and unloading that you get with a double action revolver. I don't shoot the double action revolvers in double action often if I'm trying to hit something, but they are fun to shoot double action and for plinking. Double action shooting is also a choice parameter when it comes to choosing a revolver. You tend to get a better trigger on the larger framed Colts and Smiths (K-22). But the Colt Diamondback has an excellent trigger and it is the medium sized D-frame. I have always held that the 4" Diamondback was just about the perfect blend of size, weight, and function for a 22 revolver. The prices on Diamondbacks have been sky high in the last couple of years and rising quicker than many Colt models due to collector interest.

Yes, the main negative I believe with regards to the Colt Trooper Mark III is the weight. It was made as a 357 revolver with the larger frame. The barrel is the same diameter but with a smaller hole for 22lr.

I love 22 revolvers!

 

[gggman]

I agree that S&W model 17's are pretty sweet.

 

[Mr White]

CDC notes that: [Of the 7000 bites] "Approximately 3000 are classed as "illegitimate," meaning these bites occurred while the victim was handling or molesting the snake."

That's just sick. They deserve to get bit.

But to stay on topic, +1 for the Single Six, Its the only way to go if you're thinking about a single action revolver.

Well, throw a party for me! This is my 1000th post!

 

[SeanSw]

I originally wanted a Ruger single-six until I had the chance to use one and found myself running through ammo far too quickly for a single action revolver. The SA trigger on my 6" 617 is better than the Ruger I handled and there has been no occasion where the single action gun would have pleased me more.

The 617 series are very heavy guns for the caliber, but that is my only complaint (unless you find a new model with an internal lock). Buying a .22 revolver is one of the best purchases I've ever made. Spend the money upfront for a truly good example and enjoy it.

 

[savit260]

I like Colts.

 

[Jubjub]

My current .22 revolver is a Ruger SP101. They are no longer producing the .22, but they aren't what you would call rare, and there doesn't seem to be a collector's market for them. Mine is the original version with the half lug barrel, and is quite a nice shooter.

 

[Neophyte1]

Single Six

30-06 lover: Sir; Bang for the Buck "Ruger Single Six" convertible.
5 1/2" Well Balanced
Already stated by others. I agree.

Craig

 

[Majic]

If you happen to run across a Dan Wesson .22lr revolver then give it a try. They are extremely accurate, flexible since you can change barrel length plus configuration, and generally reasonable in price.

 

[Brian Williams]

No one has mentioned the S&W 35, J frame with a 6" barrel. sweet.

 

[TonyT]

30-06 Lover,
For the use you are describing either an Older S&W K-22 (Model 17) or the current S&W 617 would be ideal. The older K-22's without the underlug in 6 in bbl. are about as sweet a shooter as you can find and the 10 shot 617 in 4inch bbl is also a great gun to shoot. Some people enjoyed shooting the S&W J fame (Model 34, or Model 63). They are a bit smaller but do not have the same action as the K-frame models.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

The gunsmiths in the Phillippines figured out a long time ago that they could make a revolver that would shoot both the .22lr and the .22mag., from the same cylinder. Needless to say, they work. The hardest part for them to make is the cylinder and at one time I'm pretty sure they outsourced them. Wouldn't it be nice if we could do the same thing?

 

[Ala Dan]

In a DA revolver, I'd say its hard too beat a Smith model 17, 18, 34, 43, or 63~!
Also, there is a S&W model 35; but they are extremely rare. Keep in mind for
a S&W stainless model 617 as well; 6" barrel versions are common, but 4"
barrels do exist~!

In SA revolver's, my vote has to go to Ruger's Single-Six Convertible in .22LR
with a .22 WMR cylinder. Wow~! what a piece-~~!

 

[Starter52]

Did anyone mention the old H&R Model 999 Sportsman? Top break, adjustable sights, nine shots and half the price of a Mod 34 Smith.